OTTAWA - The request for proposals stage has closed for pre-qualified companies to submit bids to build and finance the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Cardiac Life Support Services Redevelopment project.

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is an academic health science centre dedicated to understanding, treating and preventing heart disease. The project will expand the facility to accommodate the changing needs of the area resulting from shifting demographics and technological advancements, and will improve access to high quality specialized cardiac services for residents in the Champlain Local Health Integration Network region.

New construction at the facility will:

  • add five floors of clinical and in-patient services
  • expand support services such as biomedical engineering and data services
  • add approximately 146,000 square feet of space, 100,000 of which will house life support services such as cardiac catheterization, cardiac surgery and the cardiac surgery intensive care unit

Redevelopment work at the existing facility will:

  • include renovation of approximately 60,000 square feet of space
  • provide support services for the heart catheterization/electrophysiology suite, surgical suite and the cardiac intensive care unit
  • relocate the cardiac imaging suite

Over the next several months, Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute will evaluate the proposals. The successful bidder and cost of the project will be announced publicly following financial close, which is anticipated for fall 2014.

IO and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with University of Ottawa Heart Institute to expand and renovate the facility, which will remain publicly owned, controlled and accountable.

IO is a crown agency of the Province of Ontario that works to deliver public benefits through partnerships with the private sector. IO delivers large, complex public infrastructure projects using a made-in-Ontario modern procurement and project management practice called Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP). Infrastructure Ontario also partners with the private sector to manage one of the largest real estate portfolios in Canada, provides municipalities and eligible public sector clients with loans to renew public infrastructure, and leverages its private-sector expertise to advise the provincial public sector clients on commercial transactions.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca and www.ottawaheart.cafor more information.

Quotes:

Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
“This is a tremendous step forward for the Ottawa Heart Institute Cardiac Life Support Services Redevelopment project. This announcement signifies the government's commitment to providing high quality care, close to home, for many years to come.”

Yasir Naqvi, MPP, Ottawa Centre
“I am thrilled that this project is one step closer to starting construction. The milestone we have reached today signifies that ground will be breaking very soon for this amazing state-of-the-art cardiovascular facility.”

Dr. Thierry Mesana, President and CEO, University of Ottawa Heart Institute
“A very important milestone has been announced today as we are one step closer to getting shovels in the ground and bringing the Ottawa Heart Institute's expansion to life. This important project will not only become the physical platform of our ongoing research vitality and outstanding patient care, but it will provide our teams with a unique state-of-the-art work environment.”

Contacts:

Adam Cotter
Infrastructure Ontario
416-212-0637

Vincent Lamontagne
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-761-4427

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